Causes and Symptoms of Retinal Artery Occlusion

Retinal artery occlusion typically affects patients over the age of 60 and can be caused by a blood clot or an embolus (a small piece of cholesterol).

The primary symptom of retinal artery occlusion is sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye. In CRAO, this can be a severe vision loss. With BRAO, patients may only lose vision in one part of their visual field (one side for example), or if small enough, may not experience any symptoms at all.

Treatment and Prognosis

Unfortunately, there are no clinically proven treatments for retinal artery occlusion. If caught very early, your retina physician may try to lower your eye pressure through drops or a procedure called paracentesis (removal of fluid from the front of the eye).Other treatments for rare complications of CRAO or BRAO, such as formation of new blood vessels, include:

If you have retinal artery occlusion, it is important to see your primary care physician to identify and lower your risk factors that may lead to other vascular conditions like stroke and heart disease.

Retina Consultants of Houston is the largest retina-only ophthalmology practice in Texas with 2 certified research centers and is one of the most respected in the United States. Our practice is also home to the Greater Houston Retina Research Center, one of the country’s leading sites for retinal research. All Retina Consultants of Houston physicians are board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and specialize exclusively in diseases and surgery of the retina, vitreous, and macula. In addition, we have an ocular oncology division, which focuses on cancer treatments for the eye. Our surgeons have studied at some of the most notorious institutions in the nation and all have graduated at the very top of their classes.